Sandy King (sanking@hubcap.clemson.edu)
Thu, 18 Feb 1999 23:51:52 -0400
Thought some of you might be interested a brief summary of the contents of
the Film Developing Cookbook by Steve Anchell and Bill Troop.
This books results from a joint adventure between Steve Anchell, of
Darkroom Cookbook fame, and photo-chemist Bill Troop. The introduction
states the three special emphases of the book: how to mix and use solutions
from scratch (and how to create new ones), how to process film for maximum
archival permanence, and how to use different developers to achieve a wide
range of pictorial effects.
Overall I find it an excellent reference and one that will be very useful
for presons who like to experiment with developers to obtain a certain kind
of effect. What struck me after reading through the book was how much
really new and potentially useful new knowledge I obtained from it (or I
might have said how struck I am by how little I knew going in!).
If yo like to muck around with chemicals you will like this book. I bought
it from amazon.com (about $25 as I recall).
Chapter On - Defines terms such as sharpness, acutance, resolution, notes
how graininess is determined, explains difference between macro and micro
contrast, qualities of solvent and non-solvent developers, etc.
Chapter Two - Discusses film types (slow, medium, fast, ultra fast), types
of films (conventional , tabular, chromogenic, infrared, orthochromatic,
transparency).
Chapter Three - Treats types of developing agents (ascorbic acid, amidol,
chlorhydroquine, glycin, hydroquinone, metol, para-Aminophenol,
para-Phenyhlenediamine, phenidone, pyrocatechin, pyrogallol), discusses
role of accelerators, preservatives, restrainers, etc.
Chapter Four - Development procedures, including discussion of topics such
as minimal agitation, stand agitation, tray processing, rotary processing,
etc.
Chapter Five - Section on solvent (fine grain) developers. D-76 and
variations, D-23, the FX series, and XTOL.
Chapter Six - About non-solvent (high definition) developers. Discussion of
acutance and adjacency effects, granularity, and formulation. FX-1, HDD,
Paterson FX 39, DK 50, HC-110, PMK, strongly diluted D-76, D-23, etc.
Chapter Seven - Super-Fine grain developers. Classical and modern PPD
developers, FX 9 and 10,
Chapter Eight - About tanning developers. pyrogallol and pyrocatechin.
Modern and classical formulas, Jobo processing with PMK.
Chapter Nine - Special developers. 2-baths, special low and high contrast
developers, experimental use of ascorbic acid.
Chapter Ten - Increasing Film Speed. Hypersensitization before exposure,
latensification after exposure, pushing film.
Chapter Eleven - Document films. Low-contrast developers with document
film, POTA, POTA with glycin, special consideration of cameras and lenses
with document films.
Chapter Twelve - After development processes. Using water stop baths, acid
fixing baths, stop baths with tanning developers, hypo clearing agents,
problems with potassium salts, processing for permanence
Reference Formulas
Working with Chemicals
Sandy King
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